Crime Reduction and Safety Week at the University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield Security Services are teaming up with South Yorkshire police and students from the Welfare Committee to raise awareness of student safety in Sheffield from Monday 9 - Friday 13 November. Though Sheffield is a safe city, with crime levels at the University down 4% since last year and 51% since the academic year 2009-2010, it's important that you keep aware and up-to-date on the best ways to protect yourself and your property.

Every day from 10am until 4pm, there will be a stand in the Diamond Exhibition Space providing advice, and giving out free personal attack alarms, crime reduction fact sheets and mugs. You will also have the opportunity to have your property marked and added to the Immobilise National database. Property marking and property recording allows the police to identify the owners of stolen and recovered property.

Our team will also be joined by members of West Yorkshire police, who are bringing two photo booths into the Diamond - they will be looking for student volunteers willing to have their picture taken for the use in electronic ID parades. Electronically produced video identity parades (which replaced the traditional line ups) have been in existence since 2002 as a national service to police forces throughout the UK. To produce ID parades, the police need volunteers whose anonymous image may be used in an ID parade alongside a suspect's image. Without the help of the student community, the police would be unable to help victims of crime. Everyone who has a digital photo taken will receive an immediate £10 payment for their time and effort.

As well as the stand in the Diamond, our team will also have a stand in the Edge West Entrance Reception from Monday 7 to Friday 11 November between 4.30pm and 6pm. Here, the team will again be providing advice, carrying out property marking and giving out free personal attack alarms, crime reduction fact sheets and mugs.

The University will also be funding additional police patrols throughout next week. These patrols will be part of Operation K HELLO and will be supported by student volunteers. They will be patrolling the student residencies and other student areas, checking for properties that have been left vulnerable to burglary by their occupants and offering security advice.